Macdonald gave ‘reptilian smile’ over mine, court hears

Former NSW mining minister Ian Macdonald gave a "reptilian smile" and said he was the minister when told it would be hard to get approval for a mine, the ICAC corruption inquiry has heard.
Photo: Rob Homer

by
Michaela Whitbourn

Former NSW Labor mining minister
Ian Macdonald
gave a “reptilian smile" when a political colleague told him it would be hard to get approval for a Hunter Valley mine pitched by former union leader
John Maitland
, a corruption inquiry has heard.

Former Labor MP
Kerry Hickey
told the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday he was “buttonholed" by a Macdonald staffer in 2008 and asked to write a letter supporting Mr Maitland’s plan for a so-called training mine at Doyles Creek near Newcastle.

Mr Hickey, who preceded Mr Macdonald as mining minister, said he told Mr Macdonald that it would be hard to win the support of his department.

“He gave me that reptilian smile and told me let him worry about that because he’s the minister," he said.

Mr Macdonald gifted a coal exploration licence to a company chaired by Mr Maitland at a lavish dinner in December 2008, against the advice of his department.

The ICAC has heard the idea of the training mine was a sham to gain access to a lucrative coal resource.

Mr Hickey said he knew the minister and the former national secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union “were tight but I just didn’t know how tight".

The inquiry had been slated to finish at the end of April but commissioner
David Ipp
, QC, said on Thursday it would be extended until mid-May.